Monday, April 21, 2008

Encouragement to Keep Going

It is 10:05 a.m. this morning and I am sitting in a room with a bunch a 9th grade choir students. I am a substitute teacher, an adult with a pulse. That is what is needed and so here I am.
This is not my first substitute teaching opportunity. I have had many in the last couple of months. The money is pretty good and I don't have to extend a lot of energy, especially today as I am subing for only two hours.
I am looking at the clock and it's now 10:31 a.m. This is good for now class is half over. The students are nice and respectful for the most part, but I am a sub. There really is nothing to do except sit and make sure that no one is killing anyone else. I am thinking this is so boring and questioning is this what my life has become? Sitting in a high school choir class with nothing to do except babysit? Wow! What a life.
The class is now almost over and the student leader comes and asks if I will tell the other students that they need to pick up and put away their choir folders. She asks me because she doesn't think her peers will listen to her. So I ask them to pick up after themselves and generally speaking they do. The bells rings and I have one hour to go!
The bell tolls again and it is time for 4th period. The students shuffle in and stand in their appointed positions on the platform risers and after a little jostling, messing around, and some instructions the piano in the room stirs to life and the voices of this choir rise as one as they start practicing a song they will perform at a competition later in the spring.
I am sitting there in my chair enjoying myself. They are singing a song from Brahms and it has something to do with rising your voices to the Lord who sits on high (this by-the-way is in a secular high school).
They continue and all I can think is what a wonderful example of God loving me. Is being a substitute teacher a great job? Not really. Is it exciting. No, again I say no. Will I get rich? (Laugh with me). But as I am sitting there listening to the words I can't help but be thankful that God helps me to keep going.
I was blessed by God today and it wouldn't have happened if I had turned down the opportunity to sub today.

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