Time Flies

I cannot even believe how quickly my second placement is flying by...I have eight more days of full time teaching, then I start transitioning out. I feel like I am just settling into my routine at Kelly and I will be leaving. This year, and this fall especially, has been full of unbelievably challenging and exciting transitions.

And another one is coming. I am going back to Guatemala next semester to fill in for one of my cooperating teachers who is having a baby. A lot went into the decision, but it ultimately came down to two factors: first, if I don't go I really feel like it's an opportunity that I would look back on for the rest of my life and regret not taking. Second, the relationships are drawing me back. I love the students and teachers down there, and cannot imagine a better first job. So, next semester I will be back blogging from Guatemala.

As for my current student teaching placement, I daily see the reasons why God has me at Kelly. It's hard to see students show up to class with broken bones from a near-death gang fight, to hear teachers who write off students and have no passion for their job, to not be able to pray with a student whose pregnant aunt was shot in gang crossfire, to attempt to motivate students who have no desire or vision for education. Nothing about teaching in the inner city is easy.

BUT, I learned a lot about my limitations (aka I have them, which was a hard lesson for me to learn), and the kind of environment in which I will most effectively teach. Student teaching is a learning experience, and I definitely learned!

An Addiction

I'm addicted to blogging. It's cathartic for me, so I'm going to keep going...whether or not anyone reads it (it's not all about competition anyway, right?).

We sang a powerful song in church today. Trinity PCA (my church here) has a partnership with a prison ministry, and some reps from that ministry were at our church today. The worship leader writes songs specifically for the audience, and this one really hit me:

__________________________________________________
Here I am

If you were looking for accomplishment, then you know I wouldn't stand a chance. But you said you wanted failures, so here I am.

CHORUS: Thank you God for love I don't deserve; Thank you God for love I did not earn

If you were looking for intelligence, then you know I wouldn't stand a chance. But you said you wanted fools, so here I am.

If you were looking for good citizens, then you know I wouldn't stand a chance. But you said you wanted prisoners, so here I am.

If you were looking for faithful men, then you know I wouldn't stand a chance. But you said you wanted doubters, so here I am.

If you were looking for righteous men, then you know I wouldn't stand a chance. But you said you wanted sinners, so here I am.

If you were looking for worthy men, then you know I wouldn't stand a chance. But you said you wanted me, so here I am.
__________________________________________________

If my life in Christ was about me and what I have to bring, what I have to offer, then I would be nothing. It's so beautiful how Christ enters our weaknesses and makes them strengths, how he uses our vulnerability to bring change and hope into the world. I forget that sometimes in the face of all the pain and brokenness I see everyday. Christ doesn't ask us to change the world, he asks us to come as we are and offer ourselves as living sacrifices. That's something we can do.