Teaching is a calling…private school, public school or homeschool.

I know, I know….if you want a “cush” job, you teach!  Who else has hours of 8-3:40pm, summers off with pay, great retirement pension? If you are a homeschooling mom, you don’t really do anything anyway, do you?

STOP!  Before you start emailing me and throwing things at the screen…I was being extremely sarcastic.

I just resigned from my teaching position in October.  I loved the kids and the people I worked with…but that was about it.  The ridiculous amount of paperwork, rules/laws, standardized tests was killing me.  I was stressed out completely over trying to actually teach, while having to make everyone happy.  I could not do it another day.  So, after much prayer, tears and discussion…I quit.

When I was a little girl, I knew I would be a teacher.  In fact in 8th grade I did a report on being a “Missionary Teacher”.  The poster was out of toothpicks.  Don’t ask, I don’t remember.  ANYWAY, my parents went through a messy divorce, and three of my teachers in the junior high mentored me and helped me.  They listened.  This just reaffirmed my desire to teach.  That is what I was called to do.

And that I did.  I graduated in the summer of 1982 and was blessed with my first teaching job.  And what a job it was.  Junior and Senior High students that were not going to listen to me.  Goodness, four of the boys were just 3 years younger than me!  But I made it and so did the students.  Those learning disabled kids that had always been in trouble and were told they would not graduate…did.  Much to the surprise of the government teacher!!  Sorry, but it was one of those moments!!

I then got pregnant with our first son and I resigned my teaching position to be a mommy.  I loved every single minute of it.  A baby who slept through the night after one week, took naps consistently and loved to go with me everywhere.  He was my little buddy.  Soon he was joined by his brother.  This little guy, however, chose not to sleep longer than four hours through the night, not take naps and cry constantly.   I was worn to a frazzle.  But I tried to be the best mom I could be…reading to them and teaching them as much as possible.  I was a TEACHER MOM!!

Soon these adorable little kiddos became “school age”.  My husband knew I was to homeschool.  I was not convinced.  What would people think of me?  What about socialization?  What if I ruined them for life?  The Lord has His plans and I soon learned that He would guide me over and over.  Isaiah 54:13 is where the Father sent me when I knew I had to be hit in the head to have my answer.  “Both your sons will be taught by the Lord and great will be your children’s peace.”  

Ok, that sounds like an answer to me!! I was called to teach my boys… I was a TEACHER MOM, after all!!

Ten years of homeschooling, and the Father, with His delightful sense of humor…sends me back into the public school system. Long story short…we needed money for college and suffice it to say I was called.  In one day I “just happened” to find out about a part time position, applied for that position, interviewed for the position and picked up my husband from work with employment in that position!  I was still a TEACHER MOM!

So here I am, a teacher who resigned because I knew that season was over.  I think the Lord literally saved me.  I don’t know exactly what He has planned, but I know that teaching is a calling.  You cannot go in thinking any thing else or you won’t make it.  I was blessed to work with some of the most incredible people the last 9 years.  They poured their lives into their teaching.  None left at 3:40, all worked well into the night.  Summers were often spent taking classes, furthering their skills, trying to become better teachers.  Many were moms themselves…raising their children and being TEACHER MOMS!

So, my hat goes off to all teachers and teacher moms.  You are called.  And my prayer is that I can bring a little encouragement into your life right now.  That seems to be my calling now….and I will always and forever be…a TEACHER MOM!

Blessings dear ones,

Isaiah 55:8-9  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”