Journal - February 3rd, 2009

Today is a special day. Instead of travelling into town, once a fortnight I visit my local school, just around the corner, Avondale State School. I think it has about 50 children, 2 classes and it takes about 10 minutes to get there. So I have a lot of time to go for my walk, read God's Word and even do a bit of `blogging'. I even cooked tea and put it in the slow cooker.

The past two weeks have been `difficult' - I don't know how else to explain it. Yesterday I thought I'd survived, until I went to the Staff Meeting. For Learning Support Teachers, who aren't always `valued' members of the staff, this can be a very `distressing' time, especially when you are a person, who suffers from what I like to call `rejection syndrome'.

But, I did see some light. Unfortunately for this school, like many in Bundaberg, numbers are down; and they are in danger of losing a teacher. This is always difficult for a Principal, especially when they have such a high regard for their teachers. I actually felt sorry for my principal, as I could see the tears in her eyes and I realized, she really did care for them.

She did ask if anyone was finding that this school wasn't the place for them, to put up their hand. I was tempted, but I realized nobody wanted to be the Learning Support Teacher. Don't get me wrong, I love my job - but when you get told `we haven't got time for you', `we don't want you to take a children' - it can be a little upsetting.

With times a little tough, I have decided to try a little something different with my Bible Reading in the morning - something that isn't normally recommended. After reading Isaiah with my husband (heavy going at the moment), and then a Psalm, I close my Bible and say, Lord, what is my promise for today? Then I open it up to verses like:

"I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord,
plans for good and not for disaster, to give you
a future and a hope. In those days when you pray,
I will listen. If you look for me in earnest, you
will find me when you seek me." Jeremiah 29:11-13

"You will keep in perfect peace, all who trust in you,
whose thoughts are fixed on you. Trust in the Lord
always, for the Lord God is your eternal Rock."
ISAIAH 26:3&4

"You are generous becaus of your faith. I am praying
that you will really put your generosity to work, for
in so doing you will come to an understanding of all
the good things you can do for Christ." PHILEMON 1:6

You might have gathered that these verses also have meaning to me, from past experiences and are already highlighted, experiences I have got time to go into now. It's work time!!!