Life after the race.
Oh how I love the smell of home, comfort, and just being with my people.
Since being home God has revealed himself time and time again. I recently started working as a Pre-K assistant teacher, and started a one year online certification program for K-6. I have no doubt this is where the Lord would have me. I have been amazed time and time again seeing how the Lord is so evidently working all around me. Most of the students in my class are hispanic and do not speak much english. I know this is no coincidence, considering I spent the last year of my life interacting with students who never spoke the same language as I did.
I love Pre-K! I love that I get to see first hand how much they will learn and grow into the most intelligent 5 year olds over this next year! I really love that I will get to spend 180 days with them and not just one short month!
Two days ago we were outside for recess. The day before I had been pushing T in the swing. I know most teachers are thinking you shouldn’t push them in the swing, everyone in the class will want to be pushed. I know. You’re probably right, but it’s so hard not to want to after spending a whole year running around and playing in fields, parks, and playgrounds, all over the world, with little ones. I can’t just supervise. I want to play too.
Without hesitation, as soon as we got on the playground, I hear “Ms. Burger” and I knew right away who it was and that she wanted me to push her again. I went over and started pushing her when another little girl, in the swing, next to her said “Teacher will you push me too.” “Of course.” As I was pushing them, T was going pretty fast. I said, “T you’re so brave!” T smiled so big and said “I’m brave! I’m brave!” The little girl next to her, who was so hesitant and barely wanted to be pushed, because she was nervous about going too fast, said “I’m brave!” And I said, “Yes you are!”
If I have learned anything over this past year, I have learned there are power in your words! It is so important to speak positive words and truth over one another daily! What we say and what others tell us we believe!
In that moment, I realized how important it was to continually tell my students, “You are brave!”, no matter how fast or slow they are really swinging. Even though today they are 4. There will come a time, for some sooner than others, that they will have to be brave and I hope just maybe they will remember a pre-K assistant teacher who told them daily “You are brave!”
Chasing after Jesus,
Emily Ann
