So I've thought about blogging a lot over the past two weeks, but I could never think of a topic. Honestly, I've been in survival mode: teachers everywhere know what I'm talking about. When you're approaching a long holiday (or a weekend, for that matter) and your only goal is to make it there without going absolutely insane!
There were a few added obstacles to my "makin' it" this year. Without going into too much detail, there are a handful of folks who disagree with my teaching methods and practices. And that's all fine and dandy. I certainly did not go into my profession thinking that everyone would be happy with what I did all of the time. But what has been different this year is that folks have been really verbal with their disdain...dragging my reputation through the mud. Deliberately saying/writing things to hurt me. I don't think I've ever been faced with that before; people who have a desire to make another person feel bad are not the kinds of folk I tend to spend much time with.
Anyway (thanks for sticking with me if you've read this far), today was the first day in a while that I took time out to listen to God. I've been talking to Him a lot lately - begging Him to heal me, to heal those who aim to hurt me. Today I read about David and Goliath (a favorite story) and how David was ridiculed by his brothers because he'd split his time between tending his father's sheep and being there to battle the Philistines. His brothers questioned his motivations; when have my motivations been questioned?
The first question to direct my prayer and thinking was: Have you ever felt undervalued and unappreciated for what you do and who you are? *See above to read answer to that one.* The second question: How have you felt this sting the sharpest? Wow. Through all of my analyzing of what I did wrong as a teacher this year to make so many parents hate me so much, God slaps me with this realization: like David, who couldn't control how his brothers felt about him; he was just trying to do the right thing...there are times that we all suffer as a result of another person's opinions, words, blogs, etc. Who handles it more gracefully? David? or Kortney?
So what do we do with this? We cry out to Jesus, who said Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you...rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven.
Sweet. Bring on the insults. My God and I can handle it:)
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