A Prayer Request For Ms. Alesha
When we are sailing smoothly, we know we are going to get caught up in a snag later down the river, don't we? That's this life. I, myself, have been so excited for this summer to get here. I have been so excited to try for a baby of my own and to get to work towards organizing my teaching materials in order to fit the youngsters coming up next year. While sailing down that river called "The Last Few Days of School", I felt a snag from a nearby tree branch. Not only has this branch snagged my maroon and white Page clothing, it has snagged my heart and soul.
I have taught at my current school, Page, for 4 years with the exception of the first 3 mos. of my first year which was spent at Yellow Creek School Center. I had Prayed the entire summer before I started teaching that I would be blessed with the opportunity to work at Page. When I was hired at Yellow Creek, I didn't complain, I felt blessed to have been provided a job there. The folks were nice and my boss there was soo awesome to me. Lo and Behold, 3 mos. into the school year, a teacher at Page moved to another school and her 2nd grade spot was available. Now, obviously I thought about how cool it would be to get that position, but I really thought I was where I was for the rest of the year.
It wasn't long until I began to hear rumors that I was moving there. I couldn't believe it. I figured it was all just hearsay, but it escalated into a visit from one of my main supporters when I was job hunting. He walked into the school and ran into me as I had just left the library, frazzled from an SFA reading meeting. He told me that the job was mine if I desire it. That Thursday evening I ripped down my classroom walls and packed everything up. I moved in at Page the very next evening and began work there on Monday morning. It was hard to leave my students at YC but I felt that God had answered my Prayers. I was home, in my community, working with family, and helping kids who were growing up just like I did.
Fast forward 4 years..... I went to work on Wednesday thinking about how awesome it was that this was to be the students' last day. I was in a good mood, just tired as I have been as of lately. I got there and laughed with my kids for awhile before attending the honors ceremony. Afterwards, we sat around in my room playing on the ActivBoard and I talked to one of my close (parent) friends. My principal came to my door and began to make small talk with me. I could tell something was wrong so I asked if we needed to talk. She told me whenever I had time. Anyone who knows me, knows that I do not like to wait to hear something. I
walked outside and finished her sentence before she did. I had heard that morning that our superintendent wanted to transfer me to Bell Central School Center next year, and that's what she had come to tell me. She got teary eyed and so did I. She told me that it wasn't "in stone" yet and that she was doing everything in her power to reverse the decision. I told her I understood and we talked for a bit longer, without a hug at the end because she knew we both would blubber like babies.
The more I sat and thought about the whole situation, the more I was bothered. I have worked so hard at this school for these past 4 years. I care about these students. I care about more than their grades, but their home lives and their souls. I couldn't understand why there were only a select few of us that were moving to this other school. I couldn't "get" the reasoning behind the whole thing. So I made up my mind, I was going to go talk to my superintendent and ask these very questions.
As I drove alone in my car, I knew it was going to be hard for me to stay composed and to NOT cry. I Prayed sooo hard and I sang the old hymn "It Is Well With My Soul." I knew (and still do) that God hadn't left me. I got there and we talked. I voiced my thoughts and cried just a little and he explained some things to me. I was very nice and calm the entire time. Though I still did not understand the reasoning and the explanations that were given (and the more that I think about it, I STILL don't see how this is the best move), I cordially thanked him for his time and went back to school.
I was met by a ton of my colleagues who were furious and couldn't believe that this was happening. I agreed and kept my composure. The next day, I went in to work and everyone was still giving me those looks of sadness. Some may ask, "What's the big deal?" It is a huge deal. It's easy to say "Well you have a job still" and that's a great thing, but who really wants to work at something they have trained for during a period of 6 long years and be uprooted to serve in a whole new world? However, my boss got up at our end of the year breakfast and asked for everyone to Pray that I am permitted to return this next year. She began to make plans to help our enrollment increase such as adding a new playground (which will be great for our children and has been in the making for awhile). I honestly can't say enough good things about my boss.
So, here I am on Friday morning feeling quite different than I did last Friday morning. A week ago, I was proudly wearing my new Page CATS testing shirt and on my way to Dollywood with my kids. Today I sit in anguish about the events that are unfolding. You may ask, "Does she not like the folks at this new school?" Sooo not true. The people that I do know are upstanding and great folks. It has absolutely nothing to do with that. It's just hard to work with your whole heart focused in a school and those students and then have to move and begin again.
Why am I writing this? Well, first of all I needed a release. I have "maintained my composure" so well in the last 2 days, that I needed to get this off my chest. I need to say to someone, anyone, or everyone reading just how I feel. I am also writing for your Prayers.
I realize that God does everything for a reason. I am a firm believer in that. I WANT GOD'S WILL in my entire life and in this situation. However, I do believe that God hears our prayers and that HE alone can step into situations and "fix" things that the rest of us wouldn't have a clue about fixing, including me, MS. TRY-TO-FIX-IT! I will go where God desires for me to go. I just still feel in my heart, that this isn't what He has for me. I know that God has used me in great ways with my students, and I honestly feel that HE has so much more for me to do at this school. I feel as though my work there is hugely important even beyond my math instruction. I know how many students have stayed behind after class to tell me that someone is picking on them or that their mom is drinking again and they don't know what to do. I know the students who have been Saved right there after instructional hours with me. I try to be open just so that they will feel that they can come to me. And they do. Even students I have had previously will come back to me for help or advice. I love these kids.
I also feel that it is important for those making decisions to look into the background of the teachers that they want to "pluck" from our little school and "place" at another school that is blessed with so much. God has blessed me all these years. He blessed me through college when I worked for $3.00 an hour. He took my tithe and He multiplied my money. I still am in awe of how He stretched that money when I needed it in college. He blessed me with a job as a substitute for the same county that I work for today, providing me such meaningful experience. He blessed every assignment, every exam, every class that I took in college. I prayed before each of those, and He blessed me with a 4.0 GPA. He blessed me with the opportunity to be the a State Representative for All the Community Colleges in the state of Kentucky. I learned soo much while traveling this state. He blessed me with so many extracurricular activities and sponsors that taught me soo much. He blessed me with the honor of graduating from Union College in 2003 as Salutatorian.
I could go on and on. The point being, I feel like God has blessed me with a tremendous work ethic and the desire to give anything I am involved in 110%. I feel that all of that should count for something when considering which people to move. It continues to amaze me that hard workers who put forth effort diligently seem to be scolded in today's work force while people who slack or "slop" things together are left alone.
So my request to you, my faithful readers, is to first PRAY with all your heart and soul. Pray that God's will be accomplished in this situation (along with my pregnancy situation). Pray that IF it be possible for me to stay at my current school, that God will just move these "mountains" and make a way. Pray for these administrators' hearts to soften and look beyond numbers and numerical figures and look into the hearts of those involved. Pray that our school's numbers increase so much that we can't afford to lose any of our teachers, including me. And Pray for me, that God will lift me up and carry me through this difficult situation. I have dissected myself so much during these last 2 days and wondered if I did something wrong. Every administrator I talked to assured me that it had absolutely nothing to do with that, actually it was the opposite, they said they needed a good teacher to fill the spot. I just pray that I can continue to be a good teacher and continue to minister to my community instead. That's actually a Biblical thought. : )
Beyond my personal request, I need you to Pray for my husband's grandfather. He is really, really sickly right now and we are pretty sure that he doesn't know the Lord. Michael's sister just called him crying this morning and told him that she is going over to talk to her papaw today because God has laid it upon her heart for 2 different mornings in the past month. She is so overwhelmed that she has to go and I am so thankful that she is. Michael's papaw is hard to talk to. He is older, set in his ways, and stubborn just like my husband. I haven't ever known him well enough to have more than a few minutes of conversation with him and that's while others have been present, let alone by myself. But I have had him on my heart since I met Michael 5 years ago. I even Prayed for him while we were broken up. Just Pray that Felicia can get through to him. Pray that we can also get through to Keith, my brother-in-law and to Wing, my uncle-in-law, who has been raised in a foreign religion.
Lastly, thanks guys if you have made it all the way to the bottom of this post. I love each of you and my desire is for us to continue to encourage each other through our blogs along with those who don't even blog. God Bless You All!!!
I have taught at my current school, Page, for 4 years with the exception of the first 3 mos. of my first year which was spent at Yellow Creek School Center. I had Prayed the entire summer before I started teaching that I would be blessed with the opportunity to work at Page. When I was hired at Yellow Creek, I didn't complain, I felt blessed to have been provided a job there. The folks were nice and my boss there was soo awesome to me. Lo and Behold, 3 mos. into the school year, a teacher at Page moved to another school and her 2nd grade spot was available. Now, obviously I thought about how cool it would be to get that position, but I really thought I was where I was for the rest of the year.
It wasn't long until I began to hear rumors that I was moving there. I couldn't believe it. I figured it was all just hearsay, but it escalated into a visit from one of my main supporters when I was job hunting. He walked into the school and ran into me as I had just left the library, frazzled from an SFA reading meeting. He told me that the job was mine if I desire it. That Thursday evening I ripped down my classroom walls and packed everything up. I moved in at Page the very next evening and began work there on Monday morning. It was hard to leave my students at YC but I felt that God had answered my Prayers. I was home, in my community, working with family, and helping kids who were growing up just like I did.
Fast forward 4 years..... I went to work on Wednesday thinking about how awesome it was that this was to be the students' last day. I was in a good mood, just tired as I have been as of lately. I got there and laughed with my kids for awhile before attending the honors ceremony. Afterwards, we sat around in my room playing on the ActivBoard and I talked to one of my close (parent) friends. My principal came to my door and began to make small talk with me. I could tell something was wrong so I asked if we needed to talk. She told me whenever I had time. Anyone who knows me, knows that I do not like to wait to hear something. I
walked outside and finished her sentence before she did. I had heard that morning that our superintendent wanted to transfer me to Bell Central School Center next year, and that's what she had come to tell me. She got teary eyed and so did I. She told me that it wasn't "in stone" yet and that she was doing everything in her power to reverse the decision. I told her I understood and we talked for a bit longer, without a hug at the end because she knew we both would blubber like babies.
The more I sat and thought about the whole situation, the more I was bothered. I have worked so hard at this school for these past 4 years. I care about these students. I care about more than their grades, but their home lives and their souls. I couldn't understand why there were only a select few of us that were moving to this other school. I couldn't "get" the reasoning behind the whole thing. So I made up my mind, I was going to go talk to my superintendent and ask these very questions.
As I drove alone in my car, I knew it was going to be hard for me to stay composed and to NOT cry. I Prayed sooo hard and I sang the old hymn "It Is Well With My Soul." I knew (and still do) that God hadn't left me. I got there and we talked. I voiced my thoughts and cried just a little and he explained some things to me. I was very nice and calm the entire time. Though I still did not understand the reasoning and the explanations that were given (and the more that I think about it, I STILL don't see how this is the best move), I cordially thanked him for his time and went back to school.
I was met by a ton of my colleagues who were furious and couldn't believe that this was happening. I agreed and kept my composure. The next day, I went in to work and everyone was still giving me those looks of sadness. Some may ask, "What's the big deal?" It is a huge deal. It's easy to say "Well you have a job still" and that's a great thing, but who really wants to work at something they have trained for during a period of 6 long years and be uprooted to serve in a whole new world? However, my boss got up at our end of the year breakfast and asked for everyone to Pray that I am permitted to return this next year. She began to make plans to help our enrollment increase such as adding a new playground (which will be great for our children and has been in the making for awhile). I honestly can't say enough good things about my boss.
So, here I am on Friday morning feeling quite different than I did last Friday morning. A week ago, I was proudly wearing my new Page CATS testing shirt and on my way to Dollywood with my kids. Today I sit in anguish about the events that are unfolding. You may ask, "Does she not like the folks at this new school?" Sooo not true. The people that I do know are upstanding and great folks. It has absolutely nothing to do with that. It's just hard to work with your whole heart focused in a school and those students and then have to move and begin again.
Why am I writing this? Well, first of all I needed a release. I have "maintained my composure" so well in the last 2 days, that I needed to get this off my chest. I need to say to someone, anyone, or everyone reading just how I feel. I am also writing for your Prayers.
I realize that God does everything for a reason. I am a firm believer in that. I WANT GOD'S WILL in my entire life and in this situation. However, I do believe that God hears our prayers and that HE alone can step into situations and "fix" things that the rest of us wouldn't have a clue about fixing, including me, MS. TRY-TO-FIX-IT! I will go where God desires for me to go. I just still feel in my heart, that this isn't what He has for me. I know that God has used me in great ways with my students, and I honestly feel that HE has so much more for me to do at this school. I feel as though my work there is hugely important even beyond my math instruction. I know how many students have stayed behind after class to tell me that someone is picking on them or that their mom is drinking again and they don't know what to do. I know the students who have been Saved right there after instructional hours with me. I try to be open just so that they will feel that they can come to me. And they do. Even students I have had previously will come back to me for help or advice. I love these kids.
I also feel that it is important for those making decisions to look into the background of the teachers that they want to "pluck" from our little school and "place" at another school that is blessed with so much. God has blessed me all these years. He blessed me through college when I worked for $3.00 an hour. He took my tithe and He multiplied my money. I still am in awe of how He stretched that money when I needed it in college. He blessed me with a job as a substitute for the same county that I work for today, providing me such meaningful experience. He blessed every assignment, every exam, every class that I took in college. I prayed before each of those, and He blessed me with a 4.0 GPA. He blessed me with the opportunity to be the a State Representative for All the Community Colleges in the state of Kentucky. I learned soo much while traveling this state. He blessed me with so many extracurricular activities and sponsors that taught me soo much. He blessed me with the honor of graduating from Union College in 2003 as Salutatorian.
I could go on and on. The point being, I feel like God has blessed me with a tremendous work ethic and the desire to give anything I am involved in 110%. I feel that all of that should count for something when considering which people to move. It continues to amaze me that hard workers who put forth effort diligently seem to be scolded in today's work force while people who slack or "slop" things together are left alone.
So my request to you, my faithful readers, is to first PRAY with all your heart and soul. Pray that God's will be accomplished in this situation (along with my pregnancy situation). Pray that IF it be possible for me to stay at my current school, that God will just move these "mountains" and make a way. Pray for these administrators' hearts to soften and look beyond numbers and numerical figures and look into the hearts of those involved. Pray that our school's numbers increase so much that we can't afford to lose any of our teachers, including me. And Pray for me, that God will lift me up and carry me through this difficult situation. I have dissected myself so much during these last 2 days and wondered if I did something wrong. Every administrator I talked to assured me that it had absolutely nothing to do with that, actually it was the opposite, they said they needed a good teacher to fill the spot. I just pray that I can continue to be a good teacher and continue to minister to my community instead. That's actually a Biblical thought. : )
Beyond my personal request, I need you to Pray for my husband's grandfather. He is really, really sickly right now and we are pretty sure that he doesn't know the Lord. Michael's sister just called him crying this morning and told him that she is going over to talk to her papaw today because God has laid it upon her heart for 2 different mornings in the past month. She is so overwhelmed that she has to go and I am so thankful that she is. Michael's papaw is hard to talk to. He is older, set in his ways, and stubborn just like my husband. I haven't ever known him well enough to have more than a few minutes of conversation with him and that's while others have been present, let alone by myself. But I have had him on my heart since I met Michael 5 years ago. I even Prayed for him while we were broken up. Just Pray that Felicia can get through to him. Pray that we can also get through to Keith, my brother-in-law and to Wing, my uncle-in-law, who has been raised in a foreign religion.
Lastly, thanks guys if you have made it all the way to the bottom of this post. I love each of you and my desire is for us to continue to encourage each other through our blogs along with those who don't even blog. God Bless You All!!!
P.S. If any of you do desire to send forth an email of support as have many others, please email George.Thompson@bell.kyschools.us
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