Update On My Student and Other Fun Stuff

That same sweet girl I had the awesome talk with last week came to me again (I hate that I can't write her name here).  We were just having a chat and she brought up that she works.  At first I honestly didn't believe her, she is 13 but after talking a little longer I realized it was true.  On Wednesday, when we get out earlier, she goes to work and she works all day Sat and Sun.  She does what she needs to to help her family.  At thirteen I was liking Backstreet boys and carving mine and my crush's initials into my windowsill.  I wasn't going to work to help pay bills.  Such a different life my kids lead.  I wish I could adopt them all and give them some innocence back.

I gave my first test today, I still haven't graded them yet but I'm excited to see how they did.  I gave a vocabulary test yesterday and I had over 35 kids get a 100% Yay!! I'm so proud of them!

While they were taking the test today I spent a few minutes praying for each of them.  I prayed over my classroom when I was setting it up but it's so different now that I know names, faces and some of their stories.  Numerous times I thanked Jesus for how sweet and tender my kids are, for how they show compassion and care for one another.  I found myself repeating over and over again that I wanted God help them to keep their sweet spirits.  What a mighty Kingdom I am apart of and what mighty things my kids could do with their lives.  It's my biggest prayer that they could come along side me in this beautiful faith.

On a similar note, my own 6th grade teacher used to give us 2 minutes before a test to be silent. I knew she was a Christian but she never pushed anything on us.  She posed it as a time to collect and prepare ourselves for the test.  I remember using that as a quick prayer time. While I was driving to work this morning I remembered it (coincidence huh? love the subtle ways God helps me out in my classroom).  Before each period began their test I had them put their heads down on their desk.  I told them they could use the 2 minutes to pray, to calm themselves and take deep breaths or to quietly motivate themselves.  Not a single student made a peep (which is surprising because that never happens).  Numerous kids folded their hands and began praying.  Tears of joy filled my eyes as I realized what a great place I get to teach.  I adore that my kids feel comfortable praying in my class.  It may sound silly but I almost always cry when I realize the vastness of Christ's Kingdom.  I love that It spreads across generations, racial or socio-economic lines.  Jesus loves all and I loved watching that be displayed in my classroom.

I would love you to pray that God would continually "remind" me of areas I can blatantly bring Him in. I would also love prayer for my sweet student who has to work to help support the family.  I would love nothing more than to watch her be a kid and get to bask in the joy of childhood.  Pray also that this love and excitement for my job would continue all year long.