It's Not Just a Job

I started my new job this past Monday. The high school where I am working has about 2500 students. The freshman are in their own wing and, except for lunchtimes when they venture into the main part of the school to get to the cafeteria, they essentially have their own  school. 

Grades 10-12 have over 600 students per grade level. That is a lot of kids. I am secretary to the principal who works with the 10th - 12th grade kids with last names starting with A-G. There is also a counselor on the A-G team. Then, there is the H-Q team…and of course, the R-Z team. By dividing the student body that way, rather than by grades, the kids stay with the same principal…and team…throughout their last three years of high school. A  good arrangement, I think.

Image found here

For part of today, I worked on putting stickers into each kid’s cumulative file. On the stickers was printed their grades for the 2013-14 school year. I started with the upcoming seniors today. I’ll get the upcoming sophomores and juniors tomorrow. 

As I place the sticker in each file, I glanced over the grade stickers from previous years and took note of what each student’s grades had been like over time as compared to the past year. It was a small thing, but this gave me a snapshot into their lives. With this little piece of the puzzle, I prayed for each student as I handled their file.

• When I saw the straight-A student with the bright, smiling face, I prayed for God to bless her in her hard work and to let her know that her worth wasn’t just in her good grades, but she is precious to God.

• Then I saw the boy who used to get really good grades, but they had really slipped for some reason two years ago. This past year, they came back up again. For that student, I prayed that he would persevere, and keep moving in the right direction.

• Another student might be consistently in the middle of the road academically. For that student, I might pray that he or she would not settle for doing less that their best.

• Then, there might be a student who, for whatever reason, had apparently given up. Grades used to be OK, but the bottom had dropped out this past year. My heart broke for students like that, and my prayer for them was that God would reach them…and that He would use me in some way to show that student that he or she is loved.

 So many student. So many situations. So many ways to pray.

Yes, it’s a secular job…but it is still a ministry. 

May God find me faithful.

Home from Camp - Off to a New Job

In my last post, I wrote about Rachel going to camp for the first time. As I knew she would, she had a great time. Lots of good memories, new friends, and some good chapel times. I think of all the great memories I had from my own years at camp, and I can just picture how much fun she had. Rachel is definitely looking forward to camp again next year.

Image found here

As for me, tomorrow I will begin my new job as secretary for one of the vice-principals of our local high school. I am looking forward to this work so very much. It puts me back in the education setting, although not as a teacher. It also allows me to work with teens. This is an age group I came to love working with while I was in Indonesia.

In this new chapter of my life, I am reminded of an important verse. It is a good one to give direction and purpose to all I do.

So ... whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31

You Can't Sink This Sub!

It has been six months since I have been back in the United States. I've submitted employment applications to many different places. I had a decent amount of work at Hobby Lobby during the Christmas season. Of course, once the Christmas season was over, my work hours dropped off sharply because...well...not as many people shop at Hobby Lobby when Christmas decorating is not a major activity.

New Work 
After several weeks with very little income, God opened up the opportunity for employment as a substitute teacher in several school systems in the area. 

This looks like a fun book. You can find it here

My first day of subbing fell on Valentine's Day. I subbed for a tenth grade social studies teacher, and I have to admit that greeted the students with a bit of nervousness. After all, it has been something like twenty-seven years since I have been in a high school classroom in the United States. Numerous people talk about "kids these days". You know what I mean. The saying "sink the sub" has been around for quite some time, and I wondered how hard the students would try to "sink" me.

I was pleasantly surprised to find the tenth graders to be generally very respectful and a pleasure to work with. Of course, the teacher had left lesson plans that were very easy to follow. The classes practically ran themselves, so I had it easy, but it was a very good re-entry experience into the classroom.

Since that first day, I have had work almost every day. I thought it might take awhile before I started getting jobs, but it seems that I will not have trouble getting as much work as I can handle. In fact, my schedule is full through the first two weeks of March.

As for tomorrow and Friday, I will be back at the high school teaching Social Studies again, but for a different teacher this time. I am looking forward to it this time. God is providing the work, and I am trusting Him that this class, like the other one, will not be out to "sink the sub". If they are into "sub-sinking", though, I trust that Gd will make me "unsinkable".

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

You're Hired!

I had just finished some grocery shopping and was getting ready to fill up the gas tank in my "new" Subaru Impreza. 

image found here

It is during those necessary visits to the gas station that I most miss my beloved Harley Junior. Why? Because the same amount of cash that runs my car for a ten days or so would have powered my motor scooter for two months. Oh well. (sigh!) I suppose I'll get used to that.

image found here

Anyway, I had just begun fueling my car when my cell phone rang. It was the manager at our local Hobby Lobby. I'd had an interview with him a couple weeks ago. Praise God, I got the job, and I start this Thursday. This was very good news for me. 

In spite of the fact that this is a part-time job, I am very thankful. I can see God at work here. 

image found here

• This is a job that leaves Sundays free. 
• I believe it is work I can enjoy. 
• Even if it isn't where God has me for the rest of my life, it is a good place for now.
• Even if a second part-time job doesn't come about, I can use the next few months to develop work-from-home possibilities in writing, editing, or some such field. Public speaking might be another possibility if God opens the doors.

I really appreciate those who have been praying for me. Don't stop. I may not know exactly where God is taking me, but I trust Him to get me there in His time.

As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:9

.