A New Year

For those of us who teach school the month of August holds many things...one of those things is hope! As we returned to school last week to ready our rooms, sit in meetings, and begin planning, I realized something. The excitement in the air is energizing, the anticipation of a whole new group of students is motivating, the possibilities on the horizon are endless! These three factors; excitement, anticipation, endless possibilities, are all intertwined with hope!

As I meditated on this, it became increasingly evident that hope is a wonderful platform on which to stand. Can you imagine the hope that God has? Especially on days like Easter Sunday or Christmas Day? His hope is that all of His creation will someday return to Him...this may seem "hopeless" to us...but to God it's the foundation of creation! He continues to "hope" for us, even when we fall from grace.

I saw another type of hope this past week among some teachers. Unfortunately it was not the "hope" of God...it was a selfish "hope" - "I hope to God I don't have _______ in my class this year...I don't know if I will be able to handle him or her!" Instead of seeing ______ as an opportunity, some teachers see _______ as a punishment.

So...I guess my hope for this school year is that I will be a light, be able to listen carefully and guide correctly, see the hearts of the students and be able to penetrate those hearts with the love, hope, and compassion of Christ.

Have a blessed day,
Stephanie