Sympathy

It's finally November! This means that the countdown to Thanksgiving break is getting smaller and temporary relief is within reach.

This week has been rough. I have a lot more responsibility at work this year including training a co-teacher, a larger caseload, teaching more kids with significant disabilities, and managing and training 3 para-educators. It is flattering that they think I'm capable of handling this responsibility and yet completely overwhelming. My major frustrations are not having enough time to do everything I should be doing for my job, needing more staff, and ultimately, having staff that is not implementing what I ask them to do.

I hate conflict and as you know, am very soft spoken. This does not bode well when trying to re-teach paras who are older, strong-tempered, black women and have been able to get by with doing their job half-heartedly before I came along. At first glance, you might think that everything is fine because they say all the right things to my face but they have continued to show a lack of respect for my opinions and experience by complaining to others behind my back and not following through on my instruction. These are women who absolutely love our kids and have strengths that make them good at certain tasks required of them but I'm on year 3 now of fighting the same battles and I'm exhausted. I've talked with administration and they have the same concerns. They are supportive of the next steps that need to be taken so it is not all terrible.

The point of that whole story is that it brought me to think of my students who have been fighting the same battles for years as well and how frustrated they must be. There is one specific student I have in mind. He is 5 years old with limited speech abilities, among other things (and yet has perfected his ability to say the F-bomb--go figure). When I think about all of his inappropriate behavior I can sympathize with the reasons behind it. He is a bright kid and yet hardly anyone can understand him. How maddening this must be! He knows exactly what he's trying to say but people can hardly ever figure it out.

In honor of my kiddos and God who has given me all that I need in eternal life with Him, I am going to make a point to daily focus on what I have to be thankful for and it starts now.
I am thankful for:
1. Salvation in Christ.
2. That my identity does not rest in my job or others opinions of me.
3. That I have a job where I get to do what I love and am supported by administration.
4. My church family.
5. Encouraging friends and family.
6. Financial stability.
7. A washer and dryer! Yippee!!
8. Warm, sunny weather.
9. Being able to be physically active and take on new challenges.
and so much more!

Philippians 4:4-7 (ESV)
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."