There are five very important lessons I learned while teaching preschool this month:
- There are never enough brown crayons.
- Crayons look edible and delicious to children.
- The Jackson 5 were wrong, ABC and 123 aren’t easy.
- Pencils are incredibly hard to sharpen while wet (apparently pencils look delicious as well).
- I cannot do anything in my own strength.
This last lesson I learned from trial and error.As can be imagined teaching preschool every weekday for the past two and a half weeks caused moments of decreased patience.By that I mean I almost lost it at least once every day. I love each one of those precious (and sometimes bratty) kids, but I learned I simply do not have the patience to answer “auntie is this color orange?” 15 times in 30 seconds. Between constantly positioning squirmy bottoms back in their chairs, answering repeated irrelevant questions, and sharpening 20 little pencils by hand each day, I found myself exhausted and frustrated almost every day.
I must admit I think I was apart of the problem. Although I prayed every morning before leaving for the preschool, I more often than not have chosen sleep over intentional Jesus time these past few weeks. In my mind I wrongly thought the extra 30 minutes of sleep is what my exhausted body needed in order to function with 20 5 year olds. I used methods I knew and could control to prepare me for the day. I went to bed early, I ate a big breakfast, I drank coffee, and I took vitamins, but besides my little pray I didn’t give the Lord much to work with. My control over the day left little room for Him to move.
Today was different. Last night during worship, my squad leader Rachel suggested we did a house wide fast. She suggested that the girls of my squad do a fast from everything but water to spend time pursuing and relying on the Lord. Although she only suggested that the fast be one day my immediate thought was “No, she doesn’t understand. I need food and caffeine to have energy with those kids.” I was dead set in my decision…until the Lord convicted me of not trusting him. How can I even pretend to trust Him with the big things when I am so quick to take control of the little things?
Today the Lord stripped me of control and taught me a lesson I will not soon forget. Although in the natural I was ill prepared for the work ahead of me, I left for preschool this morning hungry and caffeine free but completely at rest.I had given the day over to the Lord and that made all the difference. For the first time I was truly able to patiently answer all ridiculous questions. For the first time I did not see a single child as bratty, squirmy, or uncooperative, rather I saw each one as a precious child of God that just needed a little help.
Today God pulled me out of my comfort zone of control and brought to life 2 Corinthians 12:9 for me. “But He said to me “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
I must admit I think I was apart of the problem. Although I prayed every morning before leaving for the preschool, I more often than not have chosen sleep over intentional Jesus time these past few weeks. In my mind I wrongly thought the extra 30 minutes of sleep is what my exhausted body needed in order to function with 20 5 year olds. I used methods I knew and could control to prepare me for the day. I went to bed early, I ate a big breakfast, I drank coffee, and I took vitamins, but besides my little pray I didn’t give the Lord much to work with. My control over the day left little room for Him to move.
Today was different. Last night during worship, my squad leader Rachel suggested we did a house wide fast. She suggested that the girls of my squad do a fast from everything but water to spend time pursuing and relying on the Lord. Although she only suggested that the fast be one day my immediate thought was “No, she doesn’t understand. I need food and caffeine to have energy with those kids.” I was dead set in my decision…until the Lord convicted me of not trusting him. How can I even pretend to trust Him with the big things when I am so quick to take control of the little things?
Today the Lord stripped me of control and taught me a lesson I will not soon forget. Although in the natural I was ill prepared for the work ahead of me, I left for preschool this morning hungry and caffeine free but completely at rest.I had given the day over to the Lord and that made all the difference. For the first time I was truly able to patiently answer all ridiculous questions. For the first time I did not see a single child as bratty, squirmy, or uncooperative, rather I saw each one as a precious child of God that just needed a little help.
Today God pulled me out of my comfort zone of control and brought to life 2 Corinthians 12:9 for me. “But He said to me “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
Who knew that I would learn so much in preschool?
